1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automated sorting and stacking machines for sheet documents, data cards negotiable instruments, postal envelopes and the like, characterized by varying thicknesses, dimensions, textures or surface finishes. Applications are anticipated in commerce and industry generally where high volume operations are routine such as occur in banks and similar financial institutions, in postal services, in communication and shipping industries.
2. Description of Related Art
In the daily operation of many institutions it is necessary to process large quantities of similar articles or documents according to diverse coded information appearing thereon such as an account number, an address or destination code, for examples. In typical automated systems a randomly assembled batch of documents, etc. is fed through a processing path, in sequential order, for identification, perhaps by an optical character reader of encoded data on each document, then for individual separation from the flow path for transport to an assigned stacking bin or cavity pocket designated for that specific account or destination. A multiplicity of sorting and stacking channels is generally required for efficient processing. Obviously, by recycling of the remainder of a random batch of documents, at the expense of time and wear of the apparatus and documents, a single sorting and stacking apparatus can eventually process an entire batch of documents; however, a multiplicity of simultaneously operative sorting and stacking machines is desired for practical and efficient operations.